Coast Guard Cutter Alert returns home after a counterdrug patrol and international exercise

An aircrew from the Mexican navy lands a AS565 Panther helicopter on the deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Alert (WMEC 630) during a simulated medevac during a North American Maritime Security Initiative exercise, March 1, 2020. NAMSI is a tri-national effort by forces of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to improve mutual capacity for operational coordination. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard Cutter Alert (WMEC 630) returned home to Astoria Sunday following a 69-day Eastern Pacific counterdrug deployment. The crew patrolled international waters off the coast of Mexico to disrupt the flow of illicit narcotics and migrant smuggling in the region.

Alert’s crew also participated in the North American Maritime Security Initiative (NAMSI) Pacific Exercise in and around Puerto Chiapas, Mexico.

NAMSI is a tri-national effort by forces of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to improve mutual capacity for operational coordination. The three-day exercise focused on enhancing information sharing and integrating capabilities of Canadian, U.S. and Mexican maritime forces during at-sea counterdrug interdiction operations.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Alert (WMEC 630) sails near Puerto Chiapas, Mexico, while participating in a three-day North American Maritime Security Initiative exercise, March 1, 2020. NAMSI is a tri-national effort by forces of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to improve mutual capacity for operational coordination. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

“It was a great experience to participate in and be a part of such a culturally diverse operational exercise,” said Petty Officer 2nd​ Class Cristina Hickey, a Spanish translator and Alert crewmember. “I thoroughly enjoyed conversing in Spanish with my foreign counterparts and learning more about their missions.”

“I’m proud of the hard work that our crew put into our Eastern Pacific patrol,” said Cdr. Tyson Scofield, Alert’s commanding officer. “I am especially proud of the professionalism that the crew showed during our joint exercises with the Canadian and Mexican navies.​ They displayed a high level of skill while demonstrating counter narcotics interdiction techniques and during the shipboard launch and recovering of a Mexican helicopter for the first time. Most importantly, our crew created personal and professional relationships with their North American peers which will help to counter the flow of illegal narcotics into all of our countries.”

Members from the Mexican navy and a U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento aircrew check look at Mexican navy Beechcraft T-6C+ trainer aircraft at Base Aeronaval La Paz, La Paz International Airport, La Paz, Mexico, while in the region participating in a North American Maritime Security Initiative exercise, March 3, 2020. NAMSI is a tri-national effort by forces of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to improve mutual capacity for operational coordination. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Logan Schindler.

A Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento C-27J Spartan aircrew, and staff from D11, are welcomed by representatives of the Mexican navy Feb. 28, 2020, upon arrival to Base Aeronaval Tapachula “BASANTAP”, Mexico, ahead of a three-day North American Maritime Security Initiative exercise. NAMSI is a tri-national effort by forces of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to improve mutual capacity for operational coordination. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Zackery Snow.

An aircrew from Air Station Sacramento stage a C-27J Spartan airplane at the Mexican navy air base at Tapachula International Airport, Tapachula, Mexico, ahead of participating in a North American Maritime Security Initiative exercise, Feb. 28, 2020. NAMSI is a tri-national effort by forces of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to improve mutual capacity for operational coordination. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Erick Wilder.